Electric can opener



Dec. 5, 1950 G. R. DRUGMAN ELECTRIC CAN OPENER 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed 00's. 22, 1947 INVENTOR.

ATI'URN EYE G. R. DRUGMAN ELECTRIC CAN OPENER 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Oct. 22, 1947 ATI'D RN EYS Patented Dec. 5, 1950 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ELECTRIC CAN OPENER George Rico Drugman, West Palm Beach, Fla.

Application October 22, 1947, Serial No. 781,273

2 Claims.

This invention relates to an electric can opener.

It is an object of the present invention to provide an electric can opener having an electric motor carried on a vertical support and from which there is extended a bracket adapted to support a can to be opened and wherein on the same bracket there is a knife adapted to be brought down into the top of the can to open For a better understanding of the invention,

reference may be had to the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, in which Fig. 1 is a side elevational view of the electric can opener embodying the features of the present invention with the can in place on the support and the cutting blade raised above it,

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the can opener,

Fig. 3 is a front elevational view of the can opener,

Fig. 4 is an enlarged longitudinal sectional view of the can opener with the blade extended into the can, the View being taken on line 4-4 of Fig. 2,

Fig. 5 is a detail sectional view taken on line 5-5 of Fig. 4,

Fig. 6 is a wiring diagram including the motor and the switch for starting the operation of the motor.

Referring now to the figures, represents the -3 base from which there extends upwardly a vertical support II. On the upper end of this vertical support there is connected an operating motor I 2. Extending from the end of this operating motor is a bracket construction l3 for supporting the operating parts and the can to be opened. This bracket is fully contained upon the motor and is supported upon the base only through the motor and the upright support ll thereof. This bracket I3 comprises a plate l5 which is secured on four extensions 16 extending outwardly from the motor housing. The plate I5 is retained on the extensions by fastening nuts ll. In the plate I5 is a bearing sleeve l8 through which extends an operating shaft [9 having a worm pinion 2| on its outer end. Extending forwardly from the plate I5 are two extensions 22 and 23, vertically spaced from one another for supporting a shaft 24 having a Worm wheel 25 adapted to be driven by the Worm 2|. This worm wheel is adapted to engage the side of a can 26 to rotate the same. The can is supported on a turn table 21 pivotally connected with the horizontally extending portion 28 of an adjustable can support 29 of a depending sleeve 30 extending from plate H5. The support 29 is adjustably connected to the sleeve 30 and is retained in any one of its adjusted positions by a set screw 3|.

In order to retain the can 25 on the turn table 21 against lateral displacement there is an adjustable ring strap 32.

On the extensions 23 is a plate 34 having a hole in its outer end to which a cutting blade or knife 35 is extended and guided when thrust into the can top. The plate 34 has upwardly extending cars 36 between which is pivoted an operating arm 31 having a handle 38 thereon. The blade 35 has a member 39 extending from the top thereof to the lugs 36 whereinu't is guided by a pin 4! working in an elongated slot 42. A projection 43 on the arm 31 will engage the member 39 to operate push button 44 to which wires 45 extend. This push button when moved to a closed position will close the motor circuit to cause the rotation of the motor and the rotation of the can. Thus automatically as the cutting blade is extended into the can top by the lever or operating member 31 the motor will be started. At the end of the cutting operation, the operating member 31 is raised and compression springs 41 acting between the member 39 and the plate 34 will raise the cutting knife 35.

Having now described my invention, I claim:

1. An electric can opener comprising a base, an upright support extending upwardly from the base, an electric motor secured to the upper end of the upright support, a shaft extending from the motor and having a pinion thereon, a bracket construction secured to the housing of the electric motor and on the end thereof from which the pinion shaft extends, said bracket construction including a vertically-extending plate, a sleeve depending from the plate and said bracket construction having two parallel vertically spaced extensions supporting a wheel adapted to be rotated by the pinion, a support on the bracket construction, said support being adjustable in the sleeve, and means for retaining the support in any of its adjusted positions therein, a turn table on the support adapted to receive the can, a knife movable on the bracket construction for insertion within the top of the can while the can is in position on the turn table to be rotated, a manually operable means for causing the downward thrust of the knife into the can, an extension on the bracket construction for the knife, said extension having an electric switch thereon, a member extending from the blade and adapted to operate .the switch to start the motor automatically as the knife is urged into the can, an operating lever adapted to engage said member to operate the knife, and biasing means for returning the member and the knife when the operating lever is removed from its engagement with the member onthe knife.

2. An electric can opener as defined in claim 1 and an adjustable ring extending outwardly from the sleeve and adapted to surround the can whereby to retain the can in place on the turn table as the can and turn table are rotated.

GEORGE RICO DRUGMAN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,252,108 Hartman Jan. 1, 1918 1,734,500 Rogers Nov. 5, 1929 1,989,807 Jeppsson Feb. 5, 1935 2,011,170 Ames Aug. 13, 1935 2,286,303 Pearson June 16, 1942 2,441,322 Jager May 11, 1948 

